Must-Do’s for Foodies in London

I just returned from an amazing trip across the pond to the U.K. where I spent almost two weeks in London. I thoroughly enjoyed the city, from it’s beautiful architecture, history, entertainment, people and of course FOOD. While it’s fresh in my mind, I thought I would share what I believe to be three MUST-DO’S in London for anyone who classifies themselves as a “foodie” AKA anyone who loves food, which I think is basically anyone:

High tea. There are SO many places in London that offer “high tea” or afternoon tea. With afternoon tea you pay a price per person and that includes tea (duh), finger sandwiches, desserts, pastries and most places have the option to add a glass of champagne for an additional cost (the champagne is overpriced I think, so we skipped on that part). Honestly, if you just Google “best places in London for tea” you will find so many options. Because the city is pretty spread out, it’s helpful to look at a map of London and plan your days based on what you want to do, and where those sights are located, so you can group together things based on proximity to each other. Basically, you can’t go wrong with tea anywhere, so pick a place that is close to whatever activity you are doing in the city that day and definitely make a reservation. Also, be sure to look at the dress code for the restaurant. I noticed a lot of them were “smart casual”. Overall, it seemed that people interpret this phrase differently, as I saw outfits ranging from jeans and sneakers to dresses and blazers. I think somewhere in between is good- dark jeans with a sweater and flats for example would be perfectly fine. Also, keep in mind some places offer afternoon tea starting as early as noon or 1 pm, but many don’t start until after 3 pm. I personally had afternoon tea at The Wolseley, and it didn’t disappoint! Other places I heard good things about include: The Savoy Hotel and Fortnum and Mason. If you are looking for a vegan afternoon tea experience, I saw many places offer vegan options, you just have to let the restaurant know ahead of time. Also, Farmacy is a vegan restaurant that does afternoon tea and has great reviews.

Borough Market. Borough Market is a wholesale and retail food market in Southwark, London, England. It’s one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, and I think it is an absolute MUST-DO for anyone visiting London. There’s a limited market, meaning not all the stalls are open on Mondays and Tuesdays, and a full market between Wednesday and Saturday, so I recommend going a day between Wednesday and Saturday. Saturday’s are generally the busiest day, so Wednesday, Thursday or Friday is your best bet. There’s so many stalls offering different fresh foods, with free samples galore! There’s loads of fresh produce including veggies and fruits, street foods, baked goods, chocolates, nuts, spices, flowers, wines, cocktails, beers and more. You could spend an entire day at Borough Market, eating and drinking your way through it. I found it’s also a great place to purchase things to bring back home to share with family and friends as a fun souvenir from London. I brought back some delicious chocolates for my fiancé and some spices for my parents. (If you are taking the tube, get off at the London Bridge stop and it’s less than a 5 minute walk to Borough Market).

Portobello Road Market. Portobello Road is one of the largest antiques markets in the world, and is such a cool place to visit while in London. It’s open Monday through Saturday, with varying times, and closed on Sundays, so check their website when you are there to plan when to go. There are several sections of Portobello Market including: antiques, fashion, second- hand goods, new goods, fruit and veg, and hot food. There’s SO much food there, including fresh produce, but also tons of yummy street foods. Regardless of if you are a foodie though, you should visit Portobello Market because there’s something for everyone. It’s also located in Notting Hill which is basically the cutest area ever, so go check out Portobello Road, do some shopping and EATING, and then go take some Instagram pics in front of the adorable pastel-colored houses! (If you are taking the tube, get off at the Ladbroke Grove stop and it’s a 5 minute walk to Portobello Road.)